This is part one of an article on the effects of digital devices and online spaces on the well-being of young people, written by Tricia Yeoh and Chua Sook Ning.
On Oct 14, the country was jolted by the shocking news about 16-year-old Yap Shing Xuen, who was stabbed to death by a 14-year-old boy at a local public secondary school.
While the investigation is still unfolding, the boy apparently left a handwritten note indicating he may have been influenced by a range of different cultural artefacts including anime, video games, and past US school-shooting incidents. The Selangor police also raised the possibility that certain social media content may have shaped his mindset.
This event has compelled Malaysians to reconsider its policies and approaches towards children and teenagers. At the time of writing,…